Experimental analysis of cross-sectional flow motion in a large amplitude meandering bend

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
Experiments have been carried out in a laboratory meandering channel of large amplitude, over a deformed-rigid bed, for 2 values of the width-to-depth ratio. The three-dimensional flow velocity field has been measured in detail at 5 cross-sections, almost equally spaced along the channel reach between 2 consecutive apex sections. The measurements have been carried out on a fine grid by an acoustic Doppler velocity profiler. The distributions of the cross-sectional flow and turbulent kinetic energy are analyzed in each investigated section. Measurements show that the counter-rotating circulation cell is evident only in the case of ‘small’ width-to-depth ratio. Such circulation cell begins at the bend entrance and it is fully developed at the bend apex; then it decays. Moreover, the presence of the counter-rotating circulation cell allows the bank shear stress to maintain low values in the outer-side of the bend.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Earth surface processes and landforms, issn : 0197-9337, 2011, vol. 36, n°. 2, p. 244-256, nombre de pages : 13, Références bibliographiques : 66 ref.

Date :
2011

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley